Multiple section arm extension for traffic signal poles

ABSTRACT

A multiple section davit arm extension for traffic signal poles wherein a pair of tubular tapered sections are telescopically engaged and secured by internally mounted tensioning means having a manually engageable part exteriorly of the sections for drawing the sections together.

United States Patent Mertz 0. Scott Oakland, Calif. 827,515

May 26, 1969 Apr. 13, 1971 Ameron Incorporated Monterey Park, Calif.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee MULTIPLE SECTION ARM EXTENSION FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL POLES 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 287/119, 287/58 Int. Cl Fl6b 7/10 Field of Search 287/58 (CT), 119, 62, 54 (E), 54 (C), 54 (A); 285/191; 240/25(Cursory) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,088 9/1894 Savill 285/191 612,389 10/1898 287/58CT 949,108 2/1910 285/191 2,224,515 12/1940 287/54A 2,317,818 4/1943 287/62X 2,428,381 10/1947 285/191X 2,502,858 4/1950 285/191X 3,050,620 8/ 1962 Schlosser et al. 240/25 3,198,562 8/1965 Smith 287/58CT Primary ExaminerThomas F. Callaghan Assistant Examiner-Andrew V. Kundrat Att0rneyWarren, Rubin, Brucker & Chickering ABSTRACT: A multiple section davit arm extension for traffic signal poles wherein a pair of tubular tapered sections are telescopically engaged and secured by internally mounted tensioning means having a manually engageable part exteriorly of the sections for drawing the sections together.

PATENTEI] APR 1 319m INVENTOR. Merrz 0. Scott Artorne s MULTWLE SECTION ARM EXTENSION FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL POLES The invention relates to poles or standards used for supporting traffic signal or lighting fixtures, and more particularly to the construction of a davit arm used in such structures.

A davit arm is used for mounting a traffic signal at the center of an intersection for controlling a left-hand turn lane, the arm being supported at one end by a pole or standard set at one side of the roadway and extending horizontally therefrom for supporting a traffic signal fixture in general alignment with the left-hand turn lane of the roadway. The use of a davit arm thus avoids the necessity for erecting a traffic signal pole at the center of the street, usually on a center island, where accidental collision with vehicles is both likely and frequent. Of necessity the davit arm must span a considerable distance, say up to 40 feet, and the manufacture, shipping and handling of such a long arm is both difiicult and awkward.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sectionalized construction of the davit arm which will greatly facilitate its manufacture and shipping to the job site.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectionalized davit arm of the character described which may be easily, rapidly and very securely assembled and joined at the job site, and which may with substantially equal facility be disassembled and removed when required.

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a traffic signal pole incorporating a multiple section arm extension constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section and on an enlarged scale on the demountable joint used for the arm sections.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The multiple section arm extension 6 for a traffic signal pole 7 comprises briefly a pair of tubular sections 8 and 9 having telescopically engaged end portions 11 and 12 forming a joint, one of the sections 9 being curved to disclose a wall 13 transversely to the interior of the joint, and joint tensioning means including a member 14 mounted interiorly of the joint and secured to section 8 and extending through wall 13 and having a manually engageable part 16 exteriorly of and supported on wall 13 for drawing the sections together. As here shown member 14 comprises an elongated threaded boltlike element threadably attached to section 8 by means of a nut body 18 secured to the interior of end portion 11 and being formed with a threaded bore 23 for threadably receiving member 14, the bore being longitudinally aligned with an opening 22 provided through wall 13. In the present construction a tubular guide 21 is mounted interiorly of and is secured to wall 13 in registration with opening 22. Guide 21 here consists of a length of straight tubing extended through opening 22 and which is aligned with bore 23 and is dimensioned to slidably receive and guide bolt member 14 into threaded engagement with bore 23. Preferably part 16 is provided by a closed end nut, such as an acorn nut, threaded onto member 14 so as to enable the economical use of a length of threaded stock having a full running thread over its entire length. Nut 16 when rotated into position on member 14 bottoms on the end of the member so as to form an integral head which may then be used to drive member 14 through nut body 18 so as to cinch up the joint, as part 16 seats on the outer end of tube 21.

As will be best seen in FIG. 4, nut body 18 is of cordal shape fitting the internal curvature of and being secured to the internal wall surface 26 of end portion 11 and preferably, and as here shown, a reinforcing member 27, is secured to the member 18 and is disposed in a longitudinally and transversely extending plane, see FIGS. 3 and 4, across the interior of section 11. Securing of members 18 and 27 in place is here effected by welding of the members together and to the interior wall 26 of section end 11.

Arm section 8 is secured to pole 7 at a desired elevation usually l5 to 20 feet and may extend horizontally therefrom as here shown or be given an initial upward incline as engineering standards may require. In the present case section 8 is formed as a straight tubular taper which extends horizontally over a majority of the length of the arm extension. Section 9 is similarly formed as a tubular taper but is provided with an arcuate end portion 31 which depends from the arm extension so as to support a traffic signal fixture 32 for controlling the left-tum lane on a roadway. Fixture 32 may be suspended some 40 or more feet from pole 7 at an elevation of 10 or more feet from the ground. As will be understood the arcuate depending end portion 31 provides the disposition of wall 13 across the longitudinal axis of section 8 and across the interior of the telescopic joint.

To assemble the arm extension at the job site, a base mounting flange 33, provided at the larger base end of section 8, is secured as by bolting to a similarly formed mounting flange 34 on pole 7 so as to dispose section 8 generally horizontally from the pole and with the nut body 18 at the upper end of the end portion 11. The larger end portion 12 of section 9 may then be slipped over the smaller end portion 11 of section 8 and the arcuate end portion 31 rotated to plumb depending position thus disposing the tubular guide member 21 in axial registration with bore 23 in nut member 18. The threaded tensioning member 14 may then be inserted from the outside end of guide 21, threaded into bore 23 to cause part 16 to bear on the outer end of tube 22, and then the bolt member 14 rotated as by means of a wrench applied to part 16 to draw the telescopically engaged section end portions 11 and 12 into tightly nested and seated engagement. Disassembly of the arm extension may be effected with equal facility when required by unthreading tension member 14 and then removing section 9 from its telescopically engaged position on section 8 and removing section 8 from the pole in the reverse manner than above discussed.

If desired, one or more additional arms 36 may be attached to pole 7 for supporting roadway lighting fixtures 37.

I claim:

1. A multiple section arm extension for traffic signal poles and the like comprising:

a pair of tubular sections having telescopically engaged tapered end portions diverging and converging to their ends to provide mated seating of said sections in attached position forming a joint;

one of said sections being curved to dispose a wall thereof transversely to the interior of said joint;

a body secured to the interior of said other section and formed with an axially extending threaded bore;

said wall being fonned with an opening therethrough aligned with said bore;

a tubular guide mounted interiorly of and secured to said wall in registration with said opening and aligned with said bore; and

joint tensioning means including an elongated threaded element mounted through said opening and guide and threadably mounted in said bore and having a manually engageable part exteriorly of and supported upon said wall for drawing said sections together.

2. An arm extension as defined in claim 1 wherein said part is comprised of a nut threaded onto said element and bearing on one end of said guide for displacement of said sections to attached position.

3. The arm extension as defined in claim 1:

said body being of cordal shape fitting the internal curvature of and being secured to the internal wall surface of said other section; and

said bore having an axis spaced from said wall surface and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said joint.

4. An arm extension as defined in claim 1, and said bore being transversely displaced from the central axis of said other section.

5. An arm extension as defined in claim 1, said body being of cordal shape fitting the internal curvature of and being 

1. A multiple section arm extension for traffic signal poles and the like comprising: a pair of tubular sections having telescopically engaged tapered end portions diverging and converging to their ends to provide mated seating of said sections in attached position forming a joint; one of said sections being curved to dispose a wall thereof transversely to the interior of said joiNt; a body secured to the interior of said other section and formed with an axially extending threaded bore; said wall being formed with an opening therethrough aligned with said bore; a tubular guide mounted interiorly of and secured to said wall in registration with said opening and aligned with said bore; and joint tensioning means including an elongated threaded element mounted through said opening and guide and threadably mounted in said bore and having a manually engageable part exteriorly of and supported upon said wall for drawing said sections together.
 2. An arm extension as defined in claim 1 wherein said part is comprised of a nut threaded onto said element and bearing on one end of said guide for displacement of said sections to attached position.
 3. The arm extension as defined in claim 1: said body being of cordal shape fitting the internal curvature of and being secured to the internal wall surface of said other section; and said bore having an axis spaced from said wall surface and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said joint.
 4. An arm extension as defined in claim 1, and said bore being transversely displaced from the central axis of said other section.
 5. An arm extension as defined in claim 1, said body being of cordal shape fitting the internal curvature of and being secured to the internal wall surface of said other section, said bore having an axis spaced from said wall surface and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said joint, and a reinforcing member secured to said body and disposed in a longitudinally and transversely extending plane across the interior of said last-named section. 